Topic: rat problems

[freeman263]

I have trouble with rats on my allotment I.E. they are eating my beetroot. As I have a trap what would be the best bait. Or is there a better way to be rid of them?

[Joolieeee]

I would ask your local council to come visit - they'll give you rat poison, and hopefully return and take it away to dispose of properly.  Normally free visit

[OllieC]

I have best results from chocolate and bacon together. If they're live traps, do check frequently (I think the legal minimum is every 24 hours). I've had a hedgehog in mine before now!

[Mushy Pea]

Smear with peanut butter. Sometimes they can lick it off without setting off the trap though.....  8)

MP

[Theplotthickens]

Rats are "NEOPHOBIC" ie. they are scared/avoid anything new in their known foraging areas, so any traps need to be sat safe for a period of time, so they do not catch anything that they shouldn`t and that the rats will get accustomed to.
the best trap, IMHO is the Fenn Mk4 but needs to be set properly.
http://www.basc.org.uk/ has some good info please search for trapping/rats etc.

[Mushy Pea]

Went up to lottie 8.30 this morning to pick beans and peas before the rain started.  An hour later, I gather something spooked them because two enormous RATS came running into our plot, lept over the brassicas towards me.

Can you picture the scene!!!!!

Had to have a sit down and a cup of tea to get over the shock.  I don't know where they went to but I went out with the hoe and rustled the brassicas in case they were still there.  Nothing. 

Saw the Chairman of the Allotment Ass. on the way out and I have since telephoned the Council.  They are supposed to be getting back to me within 3 days.   No charge apparently for them to come out. 

Not a happy bunny!

MP >:(

[norfolklass]

I'd never seen one until a couple of weeks ago when it ran along the bottom of the gate and into my rhubarb and strawberry bed. saw it again a week later, investigating the bed I'd cleared my broad beans from. I'd gone to fill up my watering can and as I walked back down the main path I could see it rootling about. I crept along the tins and it dashed into the weeds by my compost pallets and when I very slowly leaned one of the pallets over on its side the b****y thing was sitting looking at me :o

I go everywhere with a big long stick now, poking and thrashing just in case it's around. have also taken to tying the bottoms of my trousers with string after my plot neighbour told me some horror stories about rats up trouser legs :o :o :o

the council have bait boxes all over the site but because it's next to a wood with a river, and lots of plots have poultry, they're just a rather unpleasant fact of allotment life for us.

[Mushy Pea]

Hi Norfolklass,

I think I might be taking a long stick with me when I go poking around. I can't say I fancy them up my trouser legs.  :o   I tend not to wear gloves either but I think these might be going on too.  I knew rats were around as we have chicks next door but to see them in daylight, they must be getting a bit cheeky!!!

Hope the pest control man does something quickly.....

[littlebabybird]

you realy must wear gloves if you have rats about,
they wee as they move about, and there is a nasty illness carried in their waste.

hmm i cant remember the details someone will know, but its lepto something
nasty anyway, so wear gloves

oh yeah while we are at it has every one had a tetnus injection, please do if you havent, i would say this is a must ok

lbb

[Good Gourd 2]

I asked about a tetnus injection and was told that you only have one know if you have a bad cut ?

[freeman263]

Many thanks for all of your very interesting replies what with chocolate coated bacon, peanut butter and big sticks you have given me lots to think about. I will also contact the local council as well for good measure.

 :D bye all

[Barnowl]

you realy must wear gloves if you have rats about,
they wee as they move about, and there is a nasty illness carried in their waste.

hmm i cant remember the details someone will know, but its lepto something
nasty anyway, so wear gloves

lbb

I know of it as Weil's disease (a form of leptospirosis apparently - see link below), but I should mention that it is extremely rare.

Mum always used it  to convince us not to drink out of cans (rats in the warehouses)  :)

http://www.iphe.org.uk/health/weils_disease.html

[oakmore2]

I believe that women of child-bearing age should always wear gloves when gardening, regardless of whether rats are around becasue of the risk of toxoplasmosis from cats (dangerous when pregnant).

Be safe ladies!!

 ;D

[norfolklass]

hmm, I appreciate the concern but I just can't get on with gloves and I only wear them when dealing with muck. I'd much rather get my hands dirty ;D

I also might get hit by a bus tomorrow!

[littlebabybird]

re lepto what nots, hmm i'm surprised that its so rare, the canoe trip at school was canceled this year because of rats at the canal, h&s said we couldnt let the kids go (£$%^&*h&s)

my gp gave the kids tetnus jabs and me a booster, we have no cuts
how odd

lbb

[Barnowl]

Did a google on Weils and found this...

http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?articleid=230

Includes this:  "Leptospirosis is rare in the UK, and Weil's disease is extremely rare"

I've never met anyone who's caught any form of it but it's hard to beat the Waffen H&S.

[oakmore2]

But tetanus jabs are for tetanus - not lepto?!!! ??? ???

[oakmore2]

Maybe I'm being a bit slow... ::)

[littlebabybird]

But tetanus jabs are for tetanus - not lepto?!!! ??? ???

i dont believe i said it was, if i wasnt clear i'm very sorry,
it was just a thought while i was writing about nasty stuff in soil
lbb

[oakmore2]

No need to apologise littlebabybird. The confusion is more likely to be my fault for being a bit slow on the uptake!!

 ::)